Meet Marlo Hart, a quarky fly by the seat of her pants woman who takes that 'leap of faith' and ventures off on a self-discovery mission to Seward Alaska. Between coming to terms with the loss of her parents and realizing her fate, she comes across Dunca

When You Least Expect It

By Angela Bachman

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2012 Angela Bachman
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4634-8765-2

Chapter One

Four Years Later....

Just twenty-nine, the younger of two, Marlo is sassy and ravishing with her long flowing, espresso brown hair covering her shoulders in free-flowing curls. She has seductive blue eyes, high reddish-pink cheek bones, pouty, full scarlet red lips, and a body that would stop an Amtrak in pursuit of taking ambitious travelers to their next destination. Her mother always told her how stunning she was and never to fret about the right man coming along—one day he would enter her life when she least expected it.

It was a brilliant August day around five in the evening. Marlo was relaxing and staring out over the ripples on the lake, sitting in her sister's Adirondack chair. She was wiggling her toes and watching how the polish glimmered in the sunlight. Marlo knew the littlest thing for her can be a total and utter distraction.

She stared out over the lake and began lazily pondering where the days had disappeared to, she thought, there has to be something better out there for me. I just have to find it. Trying to figure out who she is, now that her parents are gone and the idea of a fresh start, she thought, I haven't been the same since my parents' accident. I need to get a hold of reality and move forward. I need to come to terms with my parents' death. I need to make a life for myself and begin my journey to a happy and healthy future.

Marlo was slowly healing, but was irrevocably close to her parents, especially her mother. She drifted into a daze and started to remember how she and her Mom would go shopping in downtown Minneapolis, just the two of them, and select Gusto's for lunch. They would laugh to the point of not breathing and people would look at them like they just left the funny farm. Not being able to share those moments again really pulled at Marlo's heart strings. She missed her parents to the point of heartache and despondency, even though it has been four years; the loss weighs heavy on her heart.

In addition to losing her parents, she's had enough mediocre relationships that came and went from her life, like newspaper headlines for The Chicago Tribune.

Why is it, every time I find someone who I think 'might be the one,' he turns out to be a total thoughtless jackass? As soon as they find out my parents have passed away, they look like a cold fish from the freezer and have a loss for words. It's like I have the plague or something.

Marlo took her sweet precious time dragging her self-pity butt out of her favorite chair, the one place she felt she could think, and walked up to her sister's house like she had lead feet. Clare opened her ornate patio door and watched Marlo trudge her way up the hill in jeans rolled up unevenly, a canary yellow tank top, and bare feet.

Clare hollered sarcastically, "Are you done with the self-pity facade or do I get to relish another two days of watching you act like Lucille Ball in a belly-rolling sitcom on a Friday night?"

Not looking at her sister, Marlo rolled her eyes knowing if Clare caught a glimpse, she would constitute another T.V. Land comment that would win an Oscar.

"Only my sister would say I remind her of Lucille Ball," said Marlo.

"Well, someone has to keep my little sister in line," Clare motioned to Marlo, "Come in and help me with dinner before Jack and the kids get home. We can discuss what you were thinking about so intensely down by the water."

Clare was always the solid one, who for sure, knew what she was doing. She never had to wrestle with the ins and outs of relationships because Jack was her high school sweetheart. He was there for her to confide in when she needed a shoulder to cry on or someone to talk to after their parents' demise; she had that support. Marlo, on the other hand, was completely overwhelmed and fragile when her parents passed.

Clare and Marlo have always had their differences, but the one thing they can always manage to agree on is having someone in their lives to love and be loved. She has had success; Jack is the perfect husband. Marlo has yet to find Mr. Right. Honestly, she could care less at this point. No men, no relationships, no mess to clean up.

Clare's husband Jack, an executive who works with Clark, Harris and Brillstein, an advertising company which aids in making American television commercials, walked in the house with the twins following behind him, toting backpacks and lunch boxes. Dilly and Bentley ran out the door to the lake after giving their Mama kisses and hugs.

Dilly and Bentley, seven year old twins, are complete opposites in every way. Dilly, a cartoon watching, pb and j munching little girl, always wanting Dad's attention and Bentley, a feisty 'have it my way or the highway,' little boy, were always causing havoc for Clare.

When the excitement from Jack and the kids being home subsided, Clare and Marlo finally had some peace and quiet to discuss the inevitable.

"So, tell me why you were deep in thought down by the lake earlier," said Clare.

Marlo looked at Clare with disappointment, watching her cut up tomatoes for a salad.

"I need a new life, Clare. I'm through with feeling like I'm not going anywhere and just existing—not living. My thoughts often drift to not having someone in my life to share what you and Jack have. The children always running around, going to sleep at night, knowing the person next to you is the other half of your heart, the everyday conversation you have with the one you love, are all things I don't have. I always start something, but never finish, like knitting that blanket for Dilly ... never finished. Or, starting college after high school.... never finished. Why am I such a scatterbrain? Also, when it comes to men ... I date and deflate. Seriously, Brad was three years older and biking to work everyday because he couldn't afford a car on his skimpy salary working at the local smoothie shop. See ... dated and deflated. It's like that with all the men I date."

Marlo plunked herself down on the barstool by the kitchen island while Clare prepared her famous Italian dressing. Clare thought about what Marlo said, but before she answered, she had to compose herself to avoid a giggle from escaping.

"Okay, I see your point. It's all about doing something and sticking to it, no matter if you think you're going to succeed or fail. You can't just stop doing something when you don't know the outcome; give life a chance."

Marlo thought about it and agreed, but something else was on her mind. She lifted her eyes to Clare and said, "Clare, there's something else that is bothering me."

"What is it?" asked Clare.

Marlo inhaled a deep breath, "Now, no matter how this comes out, you are all I have to support me, so please listen carefully." Completely unaware of what Marlo was going to say, Clare prepared herself for the worst.

"Alright, I'm listening."

"After Mom and Dad died, I felt like the world came crashing down around me and I haven't been the same since the accident. I've tried to compartmentalize my feelings of their death, but it's much more than that. I never felt like I was given enough time to grieve their passing ... so, I was thinking ... I want to go to Alaska, but ..."

Cutting Marlo off before she finished, Clare shouted in surprise, "Alaska? Are you crazy? I was thinking a trip to the local resort for a spa treatment or a weekend of reading books and doing a 1,000 piece puzzle. Not get eaten by a fifteen foot Alaskan Grizzly...